Soon, this 3D-printed autonomous shuttle could revolutionize your commute
Technology has advanced way beyond our imagination, giving us stuff we never thought would be possible to see in our entire lifetimes. Almost every industry is seeing a tech-backed transformation, thanks to developments in AI, ML, and robotics. And now, following these lines, a new piece of technology is here to revolutionize the transportation sector - a 3D-printed fully-autonomous shuttle. Here's all about it.
Developed as an upgrade of the three-year-old Olli, the new Olli 2.0 is an AI-powered robotic vehicle that looks like a futuristic rectangular pod featuring wide headlights and windows within a rounded frame. It's built from 3D-printed parts and is targeted at environments like college campuses, hospitals, military bases with a meager top speed of 40kmph, TechCrunch reported.
Olli 2.0, as its developers say, comes with Level 4 autonomy, which means it can handle all aspects of driving under certain conditions without human intervention. Plus, with 80% 3D-printed components, an electric hub motor, it makes an ideal candidate for greener mobility. You also get programmable lighting and two more seats in the upgraded Olli 2.0.
Among other things, Olli 2.0 features a highly customizable user interface that Local Motors, its developer, says can be used to tweak the vehicle according to the needs of partners. Notably, the vehicle also features a public addressing system as well as a couple of screens (one of which takes the form of eyes) to address the pedestrians moving around.
Beyond clean and safe autonomous transit, Olli 2.0 also makes for an amazing rider experience. Basically, people riding on this shuttle will have all internet-powered solutions at their disposal, starting from touch-enabled music playback and AR/VR functions to the ability to tweak interior environment programmable lights. The interior of Olli 2.0 can also be changed by removing/adding seats, according to different needs.
Olli 1.0 is serving in nine US campuses, but the company will eventually phase it out and start delivering Olli 2.0. The vehicle is in production and deliveries will start by the end of this year in the US and Europe.
